Senior Automation Engineer Jobs in Exton, PA (NOW HIRING)

Iridium is an award-winning and innovative satellite communications company with bragging rights to the only network that offers voice and data connectivity anywhere in the world.   For over 20 years, Iridium's unique network and services have supported critical communications needs for individuals, businesses, and the evolving Internet of Things.

At Iridium, we understand the importance of staying connected and the limitations of traditional communications networks. People across the globe, including first responders, humanitarians, global militaries, scientific researchers, and lone workers, as well as ships, aircraft and remote operations all rely on Iridium to stay connected. We take our responsibility for providing these essential communications very seriously and pride ourselves on offering a reliable lifeline when needed.  Likewise, Iridium is committed to providing an exciting and innovative workplace, where employees are challenged to think outside the box and collaborate on new, bold ideas and solutions.  Our talented teams are passionate about their work and the impact our company makes around the world.  Iridium fosters an empowering and inclusive culture that allows employees to genuinely be their best selves.   We are looking for others who want to join this truly unique company that celebrates our employees and provides the opportunity to truly make a difference in the world.

We are seeking a Senior Integration and Test Engineer who will be responsible for identifying and autonomously implementing ideas and solutions as it relates to integrating, testing, and deploying mission-critical Ground Segment infrastructure for government satellite operations. If you are drawn to the technical rigor of space systems, this role places you at the center of a National Security Missions group dedicated to full-lifecycle ground architecture. You'll work alongside a highly skilled, cross-functional team solving complex, real-world challenges that directly impact mission success and national security outcomes. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge space technologies in a fast-paced, high-visibility environment.

This position requires an activeTop Secret/SCISecurity Clearance (A U.S. Security Clearance that has been active in the past 24 months is considered active).

• Provide technical leadership on all integration and test engineering activities, ensuring alignment with program goals, mission objectives, and quality standards.
• Lead end-to-end integration of satellite ground segment components, including command and control, telemetry processing, mission planning, hardware, software, and networking infrastructure.
• Design, implement, and maintain CI/CD pipelines to support automated build, test, and deployment of ground segment software across all environments.
• Oversee system testing and verification from requirements definition through test execution, ensuring all technical performance targets are met.
• Develop and execute integration test plans, procedures, and automated regression suites covering nominal and off-nominal operational scenarios.
• Design and manage software tools, simulators, and containerized test environments that replicate operational ground segment configurations.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex integration issues through root cause analysis and corrective actions across software, network, and hardware boundaries.
• Partner with cross-functional engineering teams early in the design lifecycle to define interface control documents, test requirements, and ensure system testability.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation including integration plans, procedures, test reports, and traceability matrices.
• Mentor junior engineers on integration best practices, test automation frameworks, and DevOps methodologies within space ground systems.

• Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• 8+ years of hands-on integration and test experience with complex systems, including satellite ground segments, mission-critical software, or large-scale networked architectures.
• Programming languages such as: Java (Sprint Boot), Java-Script, Python, C++, Shell scripting
• Experience with Kubernetes / Docker / Podman / ArgoCD
• Familiarity with tools and software applications that support System Engineering and Integration, Verification, and Validation best practices Ability to design, implement, and maintain comprehensive unit and integration test suites, contributing effectively across the full software development lifecycle

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate products, deliverables, analyses, and technical issues to cross-functional teams and non-technical stakeholders
• A confident, relationship-oriented professional who builds trust and rapport easily with leadership, peers, and colleagues across the organization
• An analytical and creative problem-solver who can assess complex situations, think critically, and develop innovative, out-of-the-box solutions
• A proactive team contributor who actively shares knowledge, provides constructive feedback, and mentors others to elevate the team's capabilities
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize your own workload-and potentially guide others-to consistently meet deadlines
• A continuous learner with a growth mindset, eager to expand your skill set and develop deep expertise across the full suite of System Performance and Analysis software

• Experience in satellite operations ground segment environments, particularly in network management or packet-level data handling
• Familiarity with the Atlassian tool suite (Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket) in a professional development setting

• Experience with Flight Dynamics, in the context of satellite missions, pertains to the function that determines, predicts, and controls a spacecraft's orbit, attitude, and trajectory over its lifetime, including the maneuvers needed to achieve and maintain the desired flight path.
• Experience with Mission planning, in the context of satellite ground and space systems, is the set of processes, tools, and rules used to translate mission objectives into time-ordered, constraint compliant timelines of spacecraft, payload, and ground activities (including data collection and routing opportunities) across the full mission lifecycle. 
• Experience with Network Management pertains to continuously supervising and controlling all links and nodes across the space segment (LEO/MEO/GEO satellites and intersatellite links) and the ground segment (gateways, teleports, user terminals, terrestrial backhaul). 
• Containerization & Orchestration: Kubernetes, Docker, Podman, ArgoCD
• CI/CD Pipelines & Artifact Management: GitLab, JFrog Artifactory, Bitbucket
• Additional Programming Languages: C++, TypeScript, Perl
• Data Formats & Query Languages: XML, JSON, SQL
• Web Technologies: Node.js, Apache Web Server
• Security: Security vulnerability analysis and remediation procedures
• Project & Development Tools: Atlassian suite including Jira, Git, Crucible, and Confluence
• Architecture & Design Patterns: Microservices architectures and distributed system design
• Testing: Automated testing frameworks and test automation strategies
• Cloud Environments: Government (GovCloud) and commercial Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud environments

• Must be a US Citizen

This position primarily works in an office setting and is largely sedentary with the majority of the position working with a computer. The role typically requires the use of basic office equipment such as a phone, video, computer, keyboard, mouse, and printer. 

We believe in-person connection drives innovation, strengthens mentorship, and builds culture, while flexibility enables employees to do their best work. Under Iridium's Hybrid Work Policy, employees are expected to work at least three days per week (approximately 60%) in an Iridium office to support collaboration, relationship-building, and professional growth.

Additional Information

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work for this role and is not a comprehensive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Employees may be assigned additional responsibilities as needed.

Base Pay Range: $115,000 - $160,000 USD

Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors and this range represents an estimate of compensation at the time of posting. Base salary is only one part of our compensation package for this role. You may also be eligible for company stock and annual bonus. Employee benefits also include medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage; 401(k) retirement plan options; paid time off and paid holidays; paid parental leave; and other discounts and perks.  

Iridium is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.